Loire Valley Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
French World Heritage Site
About Loire Valley
The Loire Valley is often referred to as "the Garden of France" and the Cradle of the French Language. (The city ofToursis reputed to speak the purest French.) Listed (at least in part) amongst theUNESCO World Heritage Sitesin late 2000, the Loire Valley is also noteworthy for the quality of its architectural heritage, in historic towns such asAmboise,Blois,Chinon,Orléans,Saumurand Tours, but in particular for its world-famouschateaux(castles), such as the Châteaux Amboise,Azay-le-Rideau,Chambord,ChenonceauandMontsoreau. The rolling riverine landscape of the Loire Valley - and more particularly its many cultural monuments - is redolent of the ideals of the Renaissance and the Age of the Enlightenment on Western European thought and design. The valley is also known for its wineries, many of
Loire Valley Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 12 sections including: